Rookies DeCastro & Adams Look To Buck Steelers History By Both Starting Week 1

The recent report by Ed Bouchette stating that second round tackle Mike Adams is in the plans of the Pittsburgh Steelers to get the first crack at the starting left tackle spot is not earth shattering news in nature, especially when you look at the potential candidates currently on the roster that could compete for the job. What is kind of mind blowing though is that if indeed that comes to fruition, and first round pick David DeCastro starts at right guard, it would mean that two rookies would be starting on the Steelers offensive line when they line up week one against the Denver Broncos.

This would be the first time that this feat has occurred since at least 1978, and there is a good chance that it dates even further back than that. I have only been able to pull the Steelers week one starting offensive lines dating back to 1979, so that covers the last 33 seasons. Dating back to 1979, only four rookie offensive linemen have cracked the week one starting lineup for the Steelers and they were: Tom Ricketts at left guard (1989), Marvel Smith at right tackle (2000) and Maurkice Pouncey at center (2010). That leaves two positions on the offensive line that the Steelers have not had rookies start at since at least at least 1978, and both of those positions are left tackle and right guard, the positions that Adams and DeCastro aim to start at respectively.

Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Alan Faneca were all drafted by the Steelers, but none of the three started week one of their rookie year. Webster has long been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dawson will join him in that distinction later this summer and Faneca will not be too far behind in getting that honor as well.

I have stated since the Steelers drafted DeCastro that I believe he is a plug and play guard right from the get-go. I would be shocked if he is not the starting right guard in Denver. Really shocked. Adams, on the other hand, I have my reservations about. He has the tools and prototypical size, but I worry if he will be ready to protect the blind side of Ben Roethlisberger against the Broncos. While the Steelers might be claiming that starting two rookies on the offensive line is their plan in Denver, the odds are certainly against it happening. It might even make Super Bowl era history for the Steelers should it occur.

It sure is fun to go back and look at all of these names over the years and please feel free to pass along the week 1 starting offensive lines from 1966-1978 if you are absolutely positive about them.

Pittsburgh Steelers Week 1 Starting Offensive Lines 1979-2011